New Colorful Lizard Surprises Scientists in Andes

Below:

Next story in Science

Researchers have discovered a new species of lizard in a strange
place. The brightly colored, water-loving lizards live in the
Andes Mountains in southern Peru — an odd place to find them,
scientists say, because of the chilly conditions.

The semi-aquatic reptiles, dubbed Potamites montanicola,
grow to about 2.5 inches (6.4 centimeters) in length from nose to
hindquarters. Because lizards are not warm-blooded, scientists
are wondering how they survive the alpine settings.

The newfound lizards proved elusive quarry. In August 2010,
researchers found a single specimen near a wooded mountain
stream. From the moment he saw it, lead researcher Germán Chávez
said, he knew the little lizard must be a new species, because it
looked so different from other lizards in the Potamites genus.

The find kicked off a feverish hunt for more specimens. Chávez
and his collaborators searched at similar elevations, in mountain
forests between 5,000 and 7,000 feet (1,570 and 2,100 meters).
[ World's
Tiniest Chameleon Discovered ]

Three months later, in November, near another forested mountain
stream about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the original sighting,
they hit the jackpot.

"During the day we didn't find any, but at night we found several
individuals, males and females, running and swimming in the
stream," Chávez told OurAmazingPlanet in an email. "That was a
great moment for us."

It was not clear if the
tiny creatures are nocturnal, and typically spend their
nights running and swimming, or if the researchers simply roused
them from sleep, and the lizards were trying to escape, Chávez
said.

In fact, whether the creatures are active at night or during the
day is only one of the mysteries surrounding the new discovery,
according to the study announcing the find, which was recently
published in the open access journal ZooKeys.

Chávez said temperatures in the mountains can drop to between 50
and 60 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 15 degrees Celsius) at night —
harsh temperatures for cold-blooded creatures — and it's not
clear how the lizards could muster the energy to run or go for a
swim in such chilly conditions.

The home altitudes of P. montanicola are 3,300 feet
(1,000 meters) higher — and therefore chillier — than areas
frequented by its closest cousins.

"The reptiles here are amazing," Chávez said. "And I can imagine
more 'lost places' in the Andes where probably
other new species live right now."

He said he plans to continue the search. The fieldwork is often
grueling and leaves little time for sleep, "but this is our
passion," Chávez said. "I love my job, and things like this are
the best reward for us."